“Hurricane Hocevar.” Yep, that’s what a big part of the NASCAR community has started calling Carson Hocevar, and for good reason. Whether it’s bold dives, tight squeezes, or chaos in the closing laps, the 23-year-old seems to stir up trouble everywhere he goes. Drivers are tired of him, analysts question him, and fans are split right down the middle. But while most of the sport is busy criticizing him, Kyle Petty has stepped up with a bold (and wildly unapologetic) defense. In fact, Petty believes Hocevar isn’t just talented… he’s destined to become a full-blown NASCAR superstar.

Kyle Petty sees a superstar in the making

Kyle Petty didn’t tiptoe around his thoughts on NASCAR’s Inside the Race podcast. In fact, he launched straight into one of the boldest endorsements Carson Hocevar has heard yet. It’s a statement that cuts through all the noise, especially in a week when Hocevar has taken more heat than any driver in the field.

“I have a hot take. Carson Hocevar is going to be a superstar here and it’s not up to us. It’s not up to the media, not up to other drivers. It is up to other drivers, let me say that to pull him back.”

Petty’s first comparison? The legendary Dale Earnhardt, a driver defined by raw aggression, an iron will, and zero hesitation in tight situations. Hocevar channeled that same spirit at Atlanta (and countless times before), most notably in the overtime restart where he dove into a gap that practically didn’t exist, triggering the wreck with Christopher Bell. It wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t clean. But it was classic “Hurricane Hocevar” with a willingness to take risks others won’t touch.

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The next comparison brought pure personality: Tim Richmond, NASCAR’s wild, unapologetic free spirit. Hocevar fits that mold too, especially with his unfiltered radio moments. His now-viral quip, “It was Bubba. Shake and bake,” after tangling with Bubba Wallace, wasn’t calculated or polished. It was chaotic, funny, and perfectly on brand, echoing Talladega Nights in the middle of a high-stakes battle.

And here’s the kicker: Hocevar hasn’t even won a NASCAR Cup Series race yet. Despite that, Petty believes the 23-year-old is already showing the swagger, instincts, and fearlessness of a future star in just his third year in the NASCAR Cup Series. In Petty’s eyes, once Carson Hocevar figures out how to channel that chaos into consistency, the rest of the field had better brace themselves.

Because the “hurricane” might just become unstoppable.

Steve Letarte backs Petty’s opinion

Kyle Petty isn’t the only one buying stock in Carson Hocevar’s future. Steve Letarte, former crew chief and current analyst, walked away from Atlanta with the same mixed cocktail of awe and frustration that most of the NASCAR world felt. Hocevar’s aggression dazzled him, but it also made him wince. In the final stage alone, the 23-year-old bounced between genius moves and high-risk chaos, threading needles one lap and slicing through danger zones the next.

Still, Letarte made his stance clear: he’ll always take the charger over the timid. As he put it, “I would much rather have a driver you have to pull the reins than a driver you have to try to nudge to get going. So, I think Hocevar has all the makings of a superstar. But we have got to get the hurricane down to like a tropical storm or like a cold front.” It’s a perfect analogy. Hocevar’s speed is undeniable, but the turbulence needs taming.

The moment that summed it all up came during the first overtime restart. With a shove from Ross Chastain, Hocevar dove at a gap between Christopher Bell and Bubba Wallace that simply wasn’t there. Bell ended up pancaked into the wall. That sequence alone was enough to validate Letarte’s point: elite instincts wrapped in raw unpredictability.

And yet, Carson Hocevar’s confidence is skyrocketing. After Daytona, even after missing out on the win narrowly, he boldly declared his long-term outlook: “Yeah I think we can do it, I don’t think it’s hyperbole to say that… over the next 10 years, we can build this into a championship threat. I think we can get our cars there, and I think I can get there.”

Whether fans love him or despise him, one thing is clear: Carson Hocevar isn’t backing down. If he finds the balance, Letarte and Petty believe he can, NASCAR might be witnessing the rise of its next generational disruptor.